What is a pipistrelle?

Answer 1

A bat:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pipistrelle

The genus Pipistrellus contains the bats referred to as pipistrelles or pipistrelle bats. They belong to the family Vespertilionidae or vesper bats within the order Chiroptera.

There are within the group seven subgenera with a currently accepted total of seventy-seven species, making them one of the larger groupings within the order.

They are somewhat distinguished from their much larger cousins, the noctule bats Nyctalus by their weak, fluttery flight reminiscent more of a butterfly than anything else, though a few species are more direct in their flight.

The Common Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pipistrellus has a very large range across most of Europe, North Africa, southwestern Asia, and possibly into Korea. It is one of the most common species in the British Isles, along with its close relative the Soprano Pipistrelle Pipistrellus pygmaeus, from which it was only taxonomically separated in 1999. The two species are distinguished principally on the frequency of their echo-location calls, which also give them their alternative names of 45kHz pipistrelle (common) and 55kHz pipistrelle (soprano).

In North America, two species are widely distributed, though both (like bats in densely inhabited areas in general) are on the brink of becoming endangered in many regions by a loss of suitable nesting and hibernation places: the Eastern Pipistrelle Pipistrellus subflavus and the Western Pipistrelle Pipistrellus hesperus.

Answer 2

Pipistrelle is a bat with a tiny body, short legs, broad flat head; short, broad ears, fairly narrow wings and a short tail.is the smallest and most common of Britain's 14 species of bat. It belongs to the Vespertilionidae family of bats, known as ordinary or earlet bats, and appears earlier in the evening than most other bats. It has a jerky, erratic flight, flickering its wings rapidly as it pursues its prey.

It takes a wide variety of small flying insects for its food. It got a wide range of habitats, including mature woodlands, wetlands, grasslands, farms, parks and gardens. Prefers open grassy areas surrounded by trees or bushes. Often seen flying low over water. This bats are found in British Isles and continental Europe (except the far north), south west Asia, north-eastwards to Korea and Japan and east to Kashmir, and also Morocco. They hibernate during the winter.

Mating of this bat takes place in autumn but fertilization is delayed until spring.Gestation is normally 44 - 50 days and usually only one baby is born in June. Average life-span is 4-5 years. Maximum life-span recorded is 11 years.

Answer 3

Any of various very small insectivorous bats